Vending-machine.



L. K. MEARKLE. VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1912.

Eatented Sept. 17, 1912.

2 BHBETS-BEEET 1.

@Wziinesses.

L. K. MEARKLE.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR.16,1912.

1,088,622, Patented Sept. 17,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

vtnesses. gnventor' eas es.

citizen of the United States, residing at the t i N QFICE.

LOUIS K. MEARKLE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

VENDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 16, 1912. Serial No. 684,232.

Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that l, LOUIS K. MEARKLE, a

city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The principal objects of my invention are first, to provide a machine of comparatively few parts or members operatively mounted in a housing, without the employment of for; third, the provision of a machinewith a support for an article, at an angle thereto,

and with a member movable past the support and adapted to receive .a coin, the said support being so arranged as to permit the coin to engage the article so as to positively to incline in opposite directions to a suprelease the same from the support therefor and so as to. be delivered, and following such, of the coin dropping into a receptacle provided therefor; fourth, the provision of a machine with channelways arranged so as port beneath holding a coin at the end of its travel, and of a support. above-that for the coin to maintain articles at an angle, and with a member movable into a bellying condition to release the supportedarticles to be delivered, and of the coin automatically thereafter to drop into a receptacle arranged beneath to receive the same; and fifth, to the provision of a machine of the character de scribed, having certain constructive arrange ments of the details, all as hereinafter more fully described. A

My invention stated in general terms, coneists of a vending machine constructively arranged for operation in substantially the manner hereinafter described and claimed.

The nature, scope and particular charac teristic features-o my present invention will be more fully understood from the follow,-

ing description taken in connection withthe,

' f the rent of the machine in the operative relation of the several parts incased for use, applied to the back 0 an opera-chair, the

same embodying main features of my said invention. Fig 2, is an enlarged detached erspective view of the machine in the same ormas shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3,"is a perspective view of the rear of the machine, t e front case plate bein removed in order to show the inner wor ing parts of the machine. Fig. 4:, is a similar View ofthe rear plate of the machine in such position to register when assembled with the'workl ing parts of the machine, as shown in Fig. 3. 1g. 5, 1s a perspective view of the rear of inner portion of an internal partvv of the machine for supporting the article to be vended and a coin, as well asthe incline 1 for directing-the release-of the said article and permitting of the droppin of the coin between the incline and wall 0 the housing of Fig. 3. Fig. 6, is a perspective view,

showing the front of the said internal part of the machine as shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7,

is a perspective view of the coin supporting resilient strip with its lugs or supports. Fig. 8, is a rear elevation of the machine, showing the internal workings in position and With.the rear plate of the same removed so as to expose to view the said parts of the machine; and Fig. 9, is an enlarged, vertical sectional and elevational view through the machine, on the line 99 of Fig. 8. v

Referring to the several figures of the' drawings, in all of which like characters of reference designate like parts, the improved machine oompr1ses,'in part, a rectangular or casing 10, adapted sheet-metal housin to contain the worring parts and a sup 1y of strips of chewing gum, chocolate or 0t ier suitable articles. The casing 10, has aninternalfront wall 11, with a rearwardlyextending top 12, side walls 13, and bottom 14, the latter being turned upward at the rear edge to form a ocket 15, for the, reception of a coin 16,v wlien deposited therein. -An inner sheet-metal wall 17 is provided which is arranged inwardly of and parallel to the front wall 11, of the housing or casing 10, and is held in spaced relationship with the front wall by the provision of straight portions cut loose and flanged integrally forward, as indicated at 18,19, 20 and 21. The inner wall 17,has its side'edges turned backward to form side walls 22, while the inner wall 17, extends from the top 12, of the casin down only part way to the bottom side Walls,22, while the and at the'same incline as the lowermost one of the pile.

lease a. stick or piece for delivery, the lower 14. he side walls 22, extend the full vertical len h of the housing or casing. The rear wa 23, of the housing or casing 10, is inserted upward into place and the side s project between the flanges 24, of the si e walls 13, and the rear edges of the inner upper edge passes upward lnwardly of the ange 24, of the upper wall 12. The lower edge of the. inner V wall'17, is provided centrally with two rearwardly extending lips 25, and in placin a supplyof strips of m, chocolate or ot er suitable art cles 26, m the machine, the first stick or piece is placed with the front or lower ed e on the saidlips and the rear or higher e ge leaning rearwardlyagainst inwardly extending wings 27, on the rear edges of the inner sidewalls 22, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The remaining strips or ieces of gum, chocolate, or other articles 6, as shown in Fig. 9,-rest upon one another When it is desired to reor front edge of the lower one is crowded or tripped rearward oil of the lips 25, by means ater shown; the strip or piece of gum or the like 26, fallingdownward beyond the coin pocket 15, through the outlet way28, and dropping on the curved tray 3 29, formed preferably integral with the rear wall 23, of the housing or casing 10. The

strip or piece of gum, chocolate or other 'article 26, is guided in its'dropping move- .ment by two inclining arms'30, and these by the side walls 22, of the inner wall 17.

This bar 31, is made of resilient sheet-metal,

so that'itscentral portion lies normally agalnst the front wall 11, and in order to press the central-portion rearward for purposes later explained, it is provided with a short stem 32, projecting forward through V the front wall 11, and having an extremital push-button 33. A horizontal supporting lug or shelf 34, is formed on the bar 31, by cutting out a small portion of the said bar and. bending it downward and rearward, a

portion of the lug or shelf being recessed or cut out at 35, and through andbehind which the coin 16, supported on its edge drops. A co-acting fixedw support 36, for. the coin 16,

'is 'formed integral with the lower portion I f of the sheet-metal wall 31, by being struck up therefrom.

In operating the machine, a coin 16, is

deposited in the slot 38, in the upper wall 12, and is guided in its following movement in contact with the flanges 18 and 19, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, and dropping onto the inclined flange 20, as shown in Fig. 9.

From this flange 20, the coin 16, rolls toward the center of the machine, dropping down between two small forwardly pro- 'ecting wings 39, on the lower edge of the mner wall 17, and onto the supporting lugs or shelves 34 and 36, of the bar 31, as shown in Figs. 3, 8 and 9. In such position, the upper edge of the coin 16, projects above the .level of the lower edge of the lower strip or piece 26, of gum, chocolate or othermatter, so that by pressing in on the push-button 33, to thus spring the central portion of the bar 31 rearward the coin trips the lower edge of the strip or piece from its supporting lips 25, thus releasing and allowing the same to drop through thechannelway 28, onto the tray 29, arranged to receive the same, as will be clearly understood from Figs. 2 and 9. In springing the bar 31,

backward and producing the tripping move-- ment of the com 16, the coin is moved'from over the co-acting'supp'ort 36, so that as the strip or piece drops downward the coin will also be released from'its supporting lugs or shelves 34 and 36, so as to dro into the coin pocket 15, as clearly shown in ig. 9. When thelowermost strip 'or piece 26, is released for delivery, the remaining strips or'pieces will each settle downward bringing again the lowermost strip or piece 26, into the position previously occupied by the released one on the supporting lips 25, and by releasing the pressure 'on' the push-button 33,

the bar 31, will spring backward against the front wall 11, to receive another coin 16.

A weighted plate or the like 40, lies on top of the supply 26, to hold the same in a com act inclined form for delivering, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 9. 7

An opening 41, is cut in the front wall 11,

of the housing or casing, in alinement with.

a similar opening in the inner wall 17, so that the su ply of strips or pieces 26, may

be observec and these openings may be.

closed against entrance or tampering by glass 43. This panel 43, is held in place.

between the front wall 11, and inner wall 17 by the top and side walls 12 and'13, an by the flanges 21 and 44.

In installing, for use of the machine, therear wall 23, is fastened securely by any suitable. means to the back 45, of an operachair or to any other suitable support, and when-it is desired to open the machine or refill it with strips orpieces of gum or other suitable articles, the remaining-portionof the machine is lifted in an upward direction from Wall 23.

The foregoing description is a nd,

engagement with the 1. In a vending machine, an inelosing casing havingan open lower end, a projecting means on the inner surface of a wall of said casing, said means adapted to sup port edgeiwise articles to be vended, while opposite edges-rest against a wall *f'of said casing," a1 re 'lif'ent bar arranged crosswise of "said casing for supporting a, coin below the level of said projecting means and to permit said coin to trip singly said articles and means manually operated for actuating said bar, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In a vending machine, an inclosing casing open at its lower end, a projecting means on the inner surface of a wall of said casing, said means supporting one edge of strips or pieces to be vended while opposite edges rest against a wall of said casing, a resilient bar for supporting a coin below the level of said projecting-means and a device to belly the central portion of said bar to cause a strip or piece to be released and thereby said coin automatically to be dropped into a receptacle.

3. In a vending machine, an inclosing casing open at its lower end,- a p rojecting lip on the inner surface of a side wall-of the casing, the lip being adapted to support one edge of a strip or piece of gum or the like,

..while the opposite edge of the strip or piece bears against the side wall, a resilient sheetmetal bar extending across the inner surface of the first-named wall of the casing below the lip, meaiis on the bar to hold a coin in position 'and means, whereby the central portion of the resilient bar may be manually sprung away from said firstnamed Wall.

4:. In a vending machine, an inclosing casing open at its lower end, the casing containingan. inner wall parallel with and spaced from one of its side walls, the upper &

,Wall of the casing having an inlet slot com municating with the space between the firstnamed wall and the inner wall, the lower edge of the inner wall having a lip adapted to support one edge of the article, while the opposite edge bears against the wall of the casing, a coin support arranged on the inner surface of the first-named Wall below the inner wall and adapted to hold a coin in position so as to project abote the level of the lip of the inner wall and manually operated means to move the coin support toward the opp losite wall, whereby the coin carried by t li sfi'pport trips the edge of the article from sa d l p. E

5. In a vending machine, an inclosing casing open at its'lower end, the casingcontaining an inner wall parallel with and spaced from one of the side walls, the upper wall of the casing having an inlet slot communicating with the space between the firstnamed wall and the inner wall, the lower edge of the first-named wall being turned inward and upward to form a pocket for a coin, the lower edge having means adapted to support one edge of an article with the opposite edge bearing against said casing, a resilient device arranged across the inner surface of said first-named wall, means on sait bar to catch and hold a coin inserted in. the inlet slot, the inner wall provided? with guiding flanges to lead the coin to the supporting means of said bar, the holding means of said bar being arranged to so supportthe coin that the upper-portion projects abovetho lower edge of said article,

said bar-having amanual operating device extending through the first-named wall and means to cause the coin to be released from the holding means of said bar, when pressed 

